MOA ROAD BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 June 1916, Page 3

MOA ROAD BOARD.

MONTHLY' MEETING. The ordinary meeting of the Moa Road Board was hold, at Inglewood on Saturday, when there were present: Messrs H. Trimble (chairman), A. Corkill, T. Bowler, J. W. Hemvood, M. Hopson, J. Williams, A. E. Laurence, J. Hucker, and W. G. Shoemark. OVERSEER'S REPORT. The Overseer (Mr. W. R. Davis) reported that, as instructed, the three sets of concrete pipes had been sent out to Dudley Road West and would be put in as soon as possible The work of replacing' the tunnel on the Mana Road with concrete pipes had been completed. The boulders on the Upland Road North and Lepper Road, north of Junction Road contracts, had been stacked and measured. A portion of the intake of a large wooden culvert on the Bedford Road, south of Dudley Road West, had fallen in and had been repaired. The ■bridge on Bedford Road, south of Lepper Road, had been repaired. Contract for digging drain on Suffolk Road had been let at 10s per chain. The work of building a bridge on Kohete Road was in hand. Specifications for metalling eontract on Lepper Road south had been prepared. Contract for fencing the pipe depot had been let to Mr. Wisnewski. A strip of 4'/« chains on a hill near Mr. Owen's, Richmond Road, was completely worn out, and would be impassable unless re-metalled before bad weather came. It would take .11 cubic yards. The Chairman of the Midhirst Dairy Company had asked if the Board would scarify their metal road leading from Mountain 'Road to their creamery on Rugby Road, which he had agreed to do at 12s fid per chain, when the roller was working on John's Road. The survey of land in connection with the pipe depot had been completed, and the work in cohnectijyi with the earth work and levelling was in hand. He had also crushed seven cubic yards of boulders for Mr. Ackland. A bridge near Mr. Dai -

noil's, on tlie Bedford Road, north of Dudley, was in a had condition. Two stringers and the decking want'renewing. Messrs Butler jnd Darnell would do tlie repairs free of charge if the Board would find the material. The plant had been shifted from Rugby Road to Dudley Road, and was now at work there crashing. The settlers on the road deserved great credit for the way in which they were working. The hill on Surrey Road, near Mr. Laurence's, had been re-graded. THE ICO MONT ROAD. Sir. B. M. Wilson, of the Tourist Department, notified that the Tourist Department did not receive any appropriations from Parliament for maintenance of roads or tracks, except in the case of tracks which were situated within re serves or domains that are under the direct control of the Department. He was therefore unable to extend any assistance to the Board towards the upkeep of the Egmont south or any other road in the district. THE PLANT. On the motion of the chairman and Mr v Jfcaurence, it was resolved to charge 9s" per day to tlie particular road in which the roller is working. The chairman said the object of the charge was to provide a fund out of which repairs and renewals could be made. If the fund was found to accumulate too rapidly the charge would be reduced. Mr. Laurence considered this was the fairest method, as roads that did not use the crusher would not have to pay anything towards its upkeep. The chairman was given authority to arrange for the erection of a shed for the plant. GENERAL. The State Advances Board notified that it was resolved to entertain the Board's application for a loan of £445 for the purpose of forming and metalling Mangaotea Road. The State Guaranteed Advances Office notified payment to the Board's account of £IOOO, being loan for erection of a bridge over the Ngatoro stream. The Customs Department ' remitted £l2 Bs, being duty paid on scarifier. Tenders for metalling on the Lepper Road will close at next meeting. The Taranaki County Council notified

that the special order dissolving- the Moa Road Board had lieen confirmed, and that the chairman and Ors. Morton and Simpson had been duly appointed a committee to adjust accounts with the Board!

The monthly statement showed that receipts had amounted to £US lis 3d, and expenditure to £l2lO lis lfltl (including payment for the roller £BO2 4« •2d). The balance at the bank showed a debit of £3OB lis Bd. Accounts amounting to £259 14s 9d Were passed for payment. INCREASING THE RATE. The chairman said that the principal business was the striking of the rate, and he wis!id to place matters clearly l-.pfoiv members. Unfortunately, since lie had beer chairman, he had never been in a position to suggest a reduction of the rates. On the other hand, it had been his duty to ask them to impose a higher ra*e. ami that was the case that day. During the past, year, plant had heen pi l ; chasLd costing £1340, and provision nivst b 1 made for its payment, Tn addition, there was the upkeep of the reads to be considered. Wages were higher, and were not likely to decrease. Hie roads wanted keeping in better repair, They had to be mada suitable for motors, which had come to stay, not altogether as a luxury, but as a necessity. l ,ecausc they enabled farmer? to get about their business without unnecessary loss of time. The Board should W. ahea.l Within a few years they would have to tar seal the surface of t!u ir by roads. One effect of the rollei was' that the roads needed more mon'v spent or. them, because of the increased w.nk that was done. Under the tar system there was better value for the money. The only chance of reducing t!i» rates was when various 'oars btr~.ii to f all due. On February 1, 191!), a'number would disappear, including the Tariki loan, and each year would see i tlier loans disappear. If

they foulcl manage without raising fresh loans for re-metalling, there would be a relief to ratepayers. He did not think they auld manage this year on a •Jd "ate. the valuation had been reduced sine" ihe merger, and now stood at £732,4 V, as against £788,000 last year A (,hree-farthing rate would produce £2'2SS but he proposed to tackle the pi'&ition boldly, and ask them to levy

a rate of Id, which would produce £3o">l. This was asking the ratepayers to take on a heavy burden, but it would, !,e believed, be in their interest in the long tun. He proposed to set aside i/ B d, or £3R'- ; to pay for the plant. This would leave £2070 to be s.pent on the roads in the ordinary way. It was propesed to oay £l9O from the'bridge

fund for 11 -o plant, from rates on properties that, do not abut on by-roads, £10(1 from the new machinery fund, and £3Bl from : ,4d rate. This would leave £OO9. Next year it was proposed to put £OS frctr the s]iecial fund and £3OO from rates, whh'li would leave £2941 owing on October 1, 1917. So, for 1918. file extra would be necessary. He asked members to supporting the Id rate. It would not be nceesasry to strike special rates on Upland South, Leppor South No 2, and Toi Toi No. 2. Special rates would be reduced oil Tariki, Kaimata South, Ratapiko, Mana. Lepper South, Tar : ki East, Norfolk Hast, Durhf.m East, Rugby, Kaimata, Toi Toi No. 2, Mot'iVawa No. 2, Bristol No. 2; and would bp increased on Toi Toi, Junction, IV.ihair. W., Dudley W, No. 2, Eedford, South of Dudley, Tariki No. 2, Tariki -E. \o. 2. Tariki and Ratapiko, Kaimata S., Derby S., Derby N., .Johns, Salisbury, Ross. Mangaone No. 2, Dur\am N. No. Bedford N., Surrey No. 2, Bristol E. and Ratapiko No. 2. Tlu chapman gave, formal notice to move at thenext meeting, that the Id rate be struck. He also pave notice of a -notion re altering the special fund and the- special rates. Mr A. i2, T,auronee, in seconding, said that a number'of ratepayers had asked members of the Board to get the plant. They had congratulated the Board on the step taken, and wished to know how the Board proposed to pay for it. His own idea was to obtain a loan, lnr- he considered the chairman's Idea a bettor one. When the ratepayers were told that a special rate was necessary (iiey were quite agreeable, preforr'ng it to s long loan.

Mr. Henvi.od r.sked if it was neces?ary to stMke the rate that day. He hid gone in for the plant, so it was up bit must a.-eept the inevitable.

The cliaTi'iiin Sitid that all the members know that the rate had to bo struck at ne.vj. meeting. They also knew the plant liability had to be met. The only debatable point was the extra %& for the roads

Mr. Henw'jud thought that the matter should be left l'or the new Board to decide.

Mr Lav<"cnce said that this Hoard had ; ; one in for the plant, so it was up to them to see it paid for, and not refer the matter to a new board. Mr Cork.il did not consider that it was '"air that ratepayers on unmetalled '•oads that would receive no benefit from the n'aut for years to come, if ever, should be i!:k"d to pay for the plant. The cliai man said it might be possible that the plant could not get on Toi !oi Rend. but lie believed every other road would benefit. The plant account was charged to the whole district, but the working account was charged to those roads in proportion as tliev used it.

ilr. Henwood thought that it was a hardship I hat a special rate could not be struck to exempt Toi Toi Road.

Mr Corki)l said that he did not object to the extra Jd rate, but lie objected to being levied for other roads' benefit.

The res i'i.tion was carried, Mr. Corkill objecting. ' - TOI TOI ROAD. M: Corkill asked for some information n.s to the duties of the foreman. He pointed out that no one had been on the Motukawa or Toi Toi Roads since Christmas. On the latter there was a slip, and whilst, u track had been cut through this, the balance of the slip had not been cleared. He could not understand why tile Toi Toi Road had been so neglected. Thi' overseer stated that he had been «hori. hand-d. am! had been witli the cms' er. l T ad Mr. Corkill informed him cf the state of the road, he would have rent a surfaceman out to inspect it. Mr. Thicker thought that it would be money well spent if members periodically inspected all the roads. They would then be familiar with anything that cropped up. Mr Corkill said metalled roads could not be atter.ded to in winter, but unmetalled ones could not. There was no need for number.-, to inspect the roads. If the overseer was not doing his duty, "sack him." Dr'JjJlY ROAD WEST. The ehniiman reported that he had attended a lreoting of ratepayers on the Dudley Road, when the following resolution was iitssed: "That the ratepayers, by free labor, cart out enough metal and assist to put it on, for remetalling about nO chains of the road in two -ections; kvy metal brought out over that, ouantit y to be placed above the Bert''id Rone!." Tin; overseer stated that the settlers had already got out between 800 and 'OOO yards. r, iie settlers were also carting the lnctiil from the. crusher, and all that the board had to pay was the wages of driver, feeder, two spreaders, ami one team.

Members were of opinion that it was good business to help settlers, who were prepared to help themselves. If tiie settlers worked the same way for a couple years, tiiey would soon re-metal the whole road. On the motion of Messrs. Laurence and Hncker, it was resolved to put down, on (he Dudley Road the whole of the meta'. got out bv settlers.